To ask you if this mole would worry you (sorry)

[Ralphinesonvoice]

I’m panicking- the aspect changed, I got in touch with my gp and waiting to hear !

Try not to panic, you’ve done exactly the right thing contacting your GP.

If it’s any reassurance at all, skin cancers are amongst the ‘easiest’ and most successfully treated kinds of cancers that there are. That’s not to say the treatments are particularly pleasant but they are effective.

All that said I have no idea if that mole looks particularly cancerous but I presume that’s what you’re panicking about.

I would worry but its that very natural reaction, that takes you to the doctor. We worry for a very good reason if there’s something that needs a doctor’s opinion. You are doing exactly the right thing getting it checked. It’s probably nothing to be honest.

Thank you yes I’m panicking as I was worried about the beige bit but the brown irregular bit is all new ! Thank you for taking the time to write !

I have an appointment tomorrow morning as they can’t see the nature of the mile from the picture.

It could easily be nothing - I have several moles with different colours in them that have been cleared by a dermatologist. But the most important thing is to get it checked out as you are doing. Skin cancer is very treatable if found early. I currently have a few stitches where a mole has been removed because dermatology didnt like the look of it. The treatment is that simple at early stages.

I would also suggest that, even if doctors say it is OK, keep taking a monthly photo of it. That will either reassure over several months that it's not changing or give you evidence to take back to the doctor.

thank you - I’m definitely going to take pictures of it every month as a follow up.

I wouldn't be 'worried' as such (because the chances are that it's nothing to worry about, but if I had a mole that had suddenly changed or that I'd been keeping an eye on over time, I'd get it checked out as a precaution.

Don't stress. It may be nothing or they may want to remove it. I e had one removed as pre cancerous and they literally just numbed it the cut it off and scraped the skin around it. That was it. My dad had skin cancer too and again they just removed it and he was fine. They have caught it early if it's a problem mole so you will be fine. Most are fine though. You have done the right thing get it checked xx

Thank you ! I wish I was not so paranoid :(

I would but I have a tendency to catastrophise. Try not to panic you are doing the right thing getting It checked better safe than sorry. Hope it goes well!

You are absolutely doing the right thing, but it's very likely nothing to worry about.

DH is covered in moles, he's had to have a couple checked out over the last few years due to changes, but none of them have been anything to worry about.

That’s excellent news. I hope any referral is as swift.

if you have a few moles it’s not a bad idea to keep a photographic record of them if you can (six monthly/annual). Sometimes NHS dermatologists will offer ‘mapping’ but I think that’s dependent on risk factors and is probably quite a high bar to reach to fulfill criteria.

Is it bigger than the blunt end of a pencil?
Has it changed?
Is it rough or bumpy?
Has it gotten darker?
If you answered "no" then its probably not a problem. (It's not a problem, )

I have just been and it is a wart ! Just a wart ! So frikking relieved ! Thank you to you all for the support

Great news!

Excellent

Glad it turned out to be nothing to worry about but great that you got it checked.

I have lots of moles/freckles and I also have health anxiety so I am pretty cautious. It’s always a good idea to get something checked if you’re not sure. Most skin cancer can be easily treated, especially early on, but my dad had melanoma which unfortunately didn’t have a good outcome for him. Skin cancer is very common in the UK (and becoming more common) so we should all be aware.

You can have mole mapping/scanning done by a dermatologist but I imagine the bar is quite high to have this done on the NHS. I pay to have it done privately every three years at a cost of about £200 a time. It’s worth it for my peace of mind.